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Centreville ❖ Clifton ❖ Little Rocky Run
JUNE 19-25, 2008 "Time Passages"
Stone
Principal
Retires
Ken Gaudreault
worked 36 years
in Fairfax County.
By Bonnie Hobbs
Centre View
A
fter 36 years as an educator
in Fairfax County Public
Schools — 17 of them at
Stone Middle — Principal Ken
Gaudreault is retiring. Effective July
1, Stone seventh-grade Assistant Prin-
cipal Scott
Phillips
“I always enjoyed will take
coming to work.”
over the
reins.
— Ken Gaudreault, “I’ve al-
ways felt
principal, Stone I’d retire
Middle School when the
school is
doing well, and I’m doing that,” said
Gaudreault. “And it’s time for me to
do something different.” Besides, he
added, that daily commute from his
home in Fauquier County is “starting
to get more difficult.”
See Gaudreault, Page 4
Al-Salahi Receives Five Years for Burglary, Larceny
Judge rejects defendant’s claim of
innocence; sentences him to five years.
By Ken Moore
And Bonnie Hobbs
The Connection
A
lthough a jury already convicted him
of burglary and grand larceny in
March, Ahmed Muslim Al-Salahi
maintains his innocence. A Fairfax judge
rejected his claim and sentenced him to five
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Sayonara,
Class Ocho!
Centreville High
School Seniors
wave goodbye
to their old lives.
By Janet Weinstein
Centre View
C
rowds of friends and
family took their seats
in the stands of the
GMU Patriot Center at
9 a.m. on June 13 with ease and
excitement. “We travelled all the
way from
Stanton,
Va. to “Today decides
watch our
niece [Jor-
tomorrow, and
Photo by Louise Krafft/Connection
dan Page]
graduate
to me, your
today. She
is going to
tomorrow looks
college at pretty bright.”
J a m e s
— Principal Michael
Madison
University Campbell
where I, her mother, and her
grandmother went, so we’re really
psyched,” said Allison Graves.
But, around back, where the
pending graduates await to file in,
Senior Class Board Member Christopher Chorney greets class
members, faculty and special guests to the stage for the start of there was a different atmosphere.
the ceremony. See Centreville, Page 5
that love me. I have a job waiting for me.”
Wooldridge told Al-Salahi, 22 of Fairfax,
Co-defendant Kosrat “Robert” Nuri, 21 of
Fair Ridge, pleaded guilty to the same two
that he did hear the trial and that the jury’s
verdict and recommended sentence of five
charges and testified against Al-Salahi at his
March trial.
years in prison was appropriate. Fairfax County police officers responded
years in prison. He then sentenced Al-Salahi to two years to a report of a burglary in progress at a
“There was no evidence linking me to the in prison for statutory burglary and three residence in Centre Ridge, according to
crime,” said Al-Salahi, during his sentenc- years for grand larceny and ordered six search warrants filed by Det. G.G. Broderick
ing hearing before Judge Robert W. months of post-release supervision after his of the Sully District Station, who was one
Wooldridge Jr. last Friday, June 13 in Fairfax release. of the officers who responded to the call.
County Circuit Court. Intruders gained entry to the house by
“I just hope by hearing the trial … you THE CO-DEFENDANTS and victim were shattering the rear, sliding-glass door with
will make the best decision,” Al-Salahi said. friends before the event, said defense at- a rock, according to the reports.
“I have a family that supports me and people torney Thomas Haddock. See Five Years, Page 12
Centre View South ❖ June 19-25, 2008 ❖ 1
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VA Class A Contractor
Marcus Hamilton,
Centerville High School
Class of 2002 and currently
a player with the Tampa
Michael Franks Bozek Bay Buccaneers, delivers
receives the 2008 Faculty Taylor Knight gives the the commencement ad-
Award. valedictorian address. dress.

Centreville Grads Say Goodbye

From Page 1
“I woke up this morning wondering, ‘do I remem-
ber how to tie a tie?’ Then, when I got over that, I
was worried about being late. Now, my biggest fear
is tripping during the ceremony,” said Zack Ludwig.
Superstitions also arose. “I’m nervous for today
because it’s Friday the 13th, so I’m trying not to trip
on stage!” said Michelle Kelly Ta.
When the ceremony began, and the 520 blue and
black-cloaked students started to file into the center,
anxiety gradually eased. “It seemed surreal,” said
Ashley Kim.
Senior class administrator, Karla Hogan, began the
event. “This class has raised over $3 million in schol-
arships, grants and rewards to aid their future in
education. We are proud of your success,” said
Hogan.
Principal Michael Campbell expressed pride for the
class. “Class ocho! Thank you for your outstanding
leadership in enabling us to be one of the top 100
public high schools in Newsweek magazine this year.
Thank you for enabling us to be one of the top 10
model high schools in the state of Virginia. Today
decides tomorrow, and to me, your tomorrow looks
pretty bright,” said Campbell.
FOLLOWING THE PRINCIPAL’S comments was
the presentation of the faculty award by Ben Nowak
to Westpoint-bound student, Mickey Bozek. “This
student has excelled with a 3.9 and with a quiet con-
fidence. He makes teachers proud to be in educa-
tion,” said Nowak.
Next, the 21 valedictorians, students with over a
4.0 GPA, were announced and awarded medals by
the director of student services, Gail Reynolds.
Taylor Knight gave the valedictorian address. “To-
day marks the beginning of the marathon race.
Schooling was the training. So, here’s some advice:
run as a pack, but don’t be afraid to stray away. Keep
your head up.
You will hit the horizon. Pace yourself. It is our
race to run, so I charge you, graduates, and I’ll see
you all at the finish line,” said Knight.
Guest speaker of the event, current Tampa Bay
Buccaneer and Centreville High School alumni of
2002, Marcus Hamilton, shared his wisdom with the
class in a step-by-step guideline to following goals
and dreams. “When you write down your dreams,
the dreams turn into goals. And when they fall
though, go back to the writing board and start again.
But, hold onto your dreams. Because then one day,
you’ll wake up with someone you love, doing what
you love,” said Hamilton.
The initial anxiety of the event ceased entirely by
the time it came to handing out diplomas. And to
the satisfaction of many, administrators were sta-
tioned next to the stage stairs, so tripping would be
impossible.
A strong sense of character became prevalent dur-
ing presentation: Cody Flynn picked Principal
Campbell off his feet when hugging on stage, Daniel
Kim high fived all the administrators on the stage,
See 520 Receive Diplomas, Page 12

The Centreville High School Choral Department Megan Mohyla and Allison
sing “America the Beautiful.” Elliot sing “For Good” from
the musical “Wicked.”
www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Centre View South ❖ June 19-25, 2008 ❖ 5
 Community
Meade Art Show Showcases Area’s Finest
F
ifteen years ago, Margaret
Meade was teaching art to wives
of oil field workers in her home
of Venezuela. Today, she contin-
ues to dedicate her life to guiding art
students, but from Meade’s Art Studio,
her home in Centreville. On June 7-8,
Meade organized an art show to showcase
her current students’ work at the Sully
Kristen Anderson, 16, Chantilly
High School. Pastel art. “My dad is
in the military and sends me post
cards from wherever he is. This
image is based off a photo from
Bahrain,” said Anderson.
Leila Taweel, 13, Liberty Middle
School. Pastel art. “All of my pieces
are in pastel like this because I
love bright colors and I’m best
with it,” said Taweel.
Sara Chaparro, 17, Oakton High
School. Black and White Art. “My
favorite medium is black and white
because I like working with de-
tails. I wanted to work on someone
with wrinkles, so I chose Dennis
Leary, the actor,” said Chaparro.
www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Station Community Center. Aisles upon
aisles of near professional pieces were on
display, mostly by children under the age
of 18, and some being as young as 6.
“Meade is a local art icon. The talent she
extracts from her students is always great.
She really takes the best out in each
individual,” said mother Janet Shalestik,
whose son, Sam Maney, 14, is a pupil.
Anne Culbertson, 14, Stone Middle
School. Pastel Art. “This piece took
about 10 hours to make,” said
Culbertson.
Brandon Lawlor, 16, Westfield High
School. Pastel art. “I like to do
portraits, sometimes celebrities,”
said Lawlor.
Josh Cudd, 31, Ritz Camera at
Dulles Mall. Charcoal art. “This
was my first charcoal piece. My
cousin had just had a newborn as
she was first being diagnosed with
breast cancer. I wanted to make it
to remind her how beautiful she
was and that she was still that
person, despite what the chemo-
therapy did to her,” said Cudd.
The annual show has been running for
the past 13 years, with a new variety of
genres and artists each year.
— Janet Weinstein
Katie Gong, 16, Centreville High
School. Ink art. “I really like de-
tails, and it took a long time,
which is good because I love a
challenge,” said Gong.
Terra Chapman, 18, Chantilly High
School. Watercolor art. “This is
based off a photo my parents took
when we went to Italy. I loved the
landscape and it was a chance for
me to paint more loosely,” said
Chapman.
Admiring the piece, Charles Snyder
bends to get a better look. “I am a
photographer and wanted to see
how others presented their art so I
decided to take a look. It’s really
great!” said Snyder.
Centre View South ❖ June 19-25, 2008 ❖ 7
Photos by Janet Weinstein/The Connection
Abigal Butterfield, 13, Pastel Art.
Riverbend Middle School. “This
piece is based off an oil art piece I
found in a magazine earlier this
year,” said Butterfield.
Maura Perlow, 12, Flynn Hill Prep.
Pastel art. “I like animals and I
wanted to do a landscape, so I did
this painting on otters,” said
Perlow.
Brittney Fogg. Age 9. Willow
Springs Elementary. Pastel art. “I
go to Maine every year and I al-
ways love the birds there, so I
decided to make a painting of
them,” said Fogg.
While chatting, Maragert Meade
tells mother Kim Lawlor about her
weekly classes at her home and
her passion for art. “My father was
French, so I grew up in a very
European environment. It influ-
ences my work,” said Meade.